Kongar-ol Ondar

The legendary Tuvan throat-singer Kongar-ol Ondar emerged in 1985 as the founder of the Tuva Ensemble, quickly establishing himself as one of the world's foremost practitioners of the sygyt throat-singing style. Upon winning top honors at UNESCO's 1992 International Festival of Throat-Singing, Ondar rose to international renown, subsequently recording with Western artists including Frank Zappa, Mickey Hart and the Kronos Quartet. The solo effort Genghis Blues followed in 1995, trailed by Echoes of Tuva a year later; in 1999, Ondar resurfaced with Back Tuva Future, a collection of progressive worldbeat featuring appearances by Willie Nelson, Randy Scruggs and even the late physicist/Tuva aficionado Richard Feynman.